THE COAL MINES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 312, 21 September 1918, Page 8

THE COAL MINES

RECENT STRIKE TROUBLE TERMS OF SETTLEMENT MINERS' UNIONS APPROVE Advice lias been received by the Secretary df the Coal Mine Owners' Association in Wellington that the proposal for the payment of a war bonus of 74 per cent, to piece and contract workers, and 10 per cent, to wages men, has been accepted by the miners' unions by a largo majority, but that filial returns are not yet complete, regarding the proposals to deal With future disputes. The agreement reached at the conference has therefore, been ratified by the unions. Following are the several clauses of tho agreement as drawn and approved by the parties:— The Wages Question. 1. 'Dint with Ihn view of securing an amicable settlement of tbo^ dispute, and accepting the assurance oi the miners' delegates that during the term of the existing agreements the federation will undertake that no further Dominion coal labour disputes will arise, the mino owners' offer to' increase existing bonuses by 7 J a per cent, to piece and contract workers and 10 per'cent. to wages men. 2. That mino owners undertake to supply minors .with/ explosives during the currency (if existing industrial agreements at the prices at'present being charged by the respective companies. To Prevent Strikes. ( Tho conference also discussed the question of providing the means whereby disputes occurring in individual niines during the currency of the agreements might bo expeditiously and effectively dealt with, and in this way prevent strikes, lock-outs, stop-work meetings, etc. . t In that connection a sub-committee was set up to draft proposals which were agreed to as under by the con'terenco and has since been approved by the .parties' concerned. ' 1. That any dispute which cannot bo settled by the executive of the union and the management of the particular mino concerned shall be referred forthwith to the District Disputes Committee. ■ .

■2. Tho District Disputes Committee shall consist of threo representatives appointed by each side, and shall deal with any matter which has not been settled by tho means provided in clause t hereof.. Failing settlement-df any dispute by tho District Disputes Com-, mittee it' shall bo referred forthwith to tho National Disputes Committee. 3. The National Disputes Committee shall consist of threo representatives appointed by tho coal mino _ .owners and three representatives appointed by the Now Zealand Miners' Federation, and shall deal with such matters as are referred to it by tho District Disputes Committees^:' ' 4. Either party shall have the right t'i appeal to tho National Disputes Committee from tho decision of any District Disputes Committee. 5. The decision of the National Disputes Committee shall be final and binding on all parties to any dispute. It is agreed by both parties to the abovo proposals that no strike, lookout, or unnecessary stoppage of work shall take place in any mino until ibe matter or matters in dispute have been dealt with as provided for above, and that any decision of the National Disputes Committeo shall bo loyally accepted by all concerned. It is also agreed that nothing in. any of the abovo.provisions shall be so construed as to iii any way jnterfwe with or curtail the rights of coal mino managers or officials \in their full and proper'control of the working of the coal mines, nor shall anything be done

to interfere with tho recognised functions df local unions. . .

The above conditions shall remain in operation for twelve months from the ratification thereof by all parties, and may' thereafter, be reviewed and d'ealt with by tho said parties as may be decided upon. ;